Section 252.04. Operator qualifications and duties.

 

(1)  An escort vehicle shall be checked by the escort operator before each escort assignment to make sure that it is in safe operating condition.

(2)  No person may operate an escort vehicle unless the person is at least 18 years of age and has in his or her immediate possession an operator's license issued to the escort vehicle operator and valid in Wisconsin.

(3)  

(a) Before movement of the oversize or overweight vehicle or load begins, the escort operator shall read the permit which authorizes the movement and any and all conditions imposed by the permitting authority for operation under the permit, including but not limited to, specific routes to be followed, the speed of movement, or the times of day during which the movement is permitted or restricted.

(b) The escort operator shall observe all conditions imposed on operation under the permit.

(4)  The escort vehicle headlamps shall be lighted in the low beam position and the warning lamps required by s. Trans 252.05 (3) shall be lighted when accompanying the movement of a vehicle operated under permit. The escort vehicle's amber warning lamps may not be operated when the vehicle is not engaged as an escort.

(5)  When a single escort vehicle is required by the conditions of the permit and the movement is upon 2-way undivided roadways, the escort vehicle shall precede the vehicle or load being moved under a permit by a distance of at least 300 feet and sufficient to give advance warning to vehicles coming from the opposite direction. Where the road narrows because of a bridge or for any other reason, or at a sharp turn or other point of special hazard because of the weight, width or length of the vehicle or load operated under permit, the driver of the escort vehicle shall slow down or stop, as necessary, to give adequate warning to oncoming traffic, utilizing hand flagging methods as necessary with a clean, bright red or orange flag at least 18 inches square.

(6)  When a single escort vehicle is required as a condition of the permit and the movement is upon one-way roadways, including divided highways with one or more lanes of travel in the same direction, the escort vehicle shall follow the vehicle or load being transported under permit at a distance of 300 to 500 feet with its required warning lamps and sign visible from the rear.

(7)  When more than one escort vehicle is used or required as a condition of the permit, then one escort shall precede the permitted vehicle as required in sub. (5) and one escort shall follow the permitted vehicle as required in sub. (6) regardless of the type of highway.

History: (1), (2) and (5) renum. from Hy 30.02 (5) (p), (l), and (h) and am. (2) and (5), cr. (3), (4), (6) and (7), Register, June, 1989, No. 402 , eff. 7-1-89; am. (2), Register, July, 1991, No. 427 , eff. 8-1-91; correction in (4) made under s. 13.93 (2m) (b) 7., Stats., Register, February, 2000, No. 530 .